Medicine
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Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) is widely used as a treatment for periampullary tumors and pancreatic head tumors. However, postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), which significantly affects mortality and length of hospital stay of patients, remains one of the most common and serious complications following LPD. Though numerous technical modifications for pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) have been proposed, POPF is still the "Achilles heel" of LPD. ⋯ Double R anastomosis is potentially a safe, reliable, and rapid anastomosis with a low rate of POPF and post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage. It provides surgeons more options when performing LPD. However, its safety and effectiveness should be verified further by a larger prospective multicenter study.
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Case Reports
The impact of recent chemotherapy on immunity in 2 COVID-19 cases with gastrointestinal tumors: A case report.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly emerging infectious respiratory disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Currently, more than 100 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed worldwide, with over 2.4 million mortalities. The pandemic affects people of all ages but older individuals and those with severe chronic illnesses, including cancer patients, are at higher risk. ⋯ Anticancer treatment might enhance a patient's ability to respond favorably to COVID-19 infection. However, anticancer treatment is likely to impact immune function differently in different individuals, which can influence disease outcomes.
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Psoriasis is a common chronic relapsing inflammatory skin disease, which may have considerable detrimental effects on the quality of life. Considering high costs and side effects associated with the use of conventional medications, acupuncture, as one of complementary and alternative nonpharmacological therapies, is commonly used in the management of psoriasis for reducing itching, repairing the skin lesions, etc. However, the effects of acupuncture in the management of psoriasis are still inconsistent, especially in psychosocial abnormality due to psoriasis. Therefore, we designed a randomized controlled trials (RCT) involving a placebo control to ensure participants' blinding to investigate the effects of acupuncture for psoriasis in improving typical clinical symptoms and psychosocial abnormality. ⋯ The results of this study are expected to clarify the effects of acupuncture on improving typical clinical symptoms and psychosocial abnormality of patients with psoriasis. It will contribute to clinical practice of acupuncture in the management of psoriasis.
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Case Reports
Effectiveness of beinaglutide in a patient with late dumping syndrome after gastrectomy: A case report.
Dumping syndrome is a frequent and potentially severe complication after gastric surgery. Beinaglutide, a recombinant human glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) which shares 100% homology with human GLP-1(7-36), has never been reported in the treatment of dumping syndrome before. ⋯ These findings suggest that beinaglutide may be effective for treating post-gastrectomy late dumping syndrome.
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Multicenter Study
No evidence of tocilizumab treatment efficacy for severe to critical SARS-CoV2 infected patients: Results from a retrospective controlled multicenter study.
To assess tocilizumab (TCZ) efficacy associated to standard of care (SOC) compared to SOC alone in severe coronavirus associated disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. In a matched case-control study from 3 French Hospital COVID-19 Departments, 27 patients with severe COVID-19 treated with TCZ and SOC were matched for baseline epidemiological and clinical features and compared to 27 severe COVID-19 patients treated with SOC alone. Baseline characteristics of the study population were comparable between groups. ⋯ Age (OR = 1.15; 95%CI = 1.04-1.3; P = .008) and age over 72 years (OR) = 14.85; 95%CI = 2.7-80; P = .002) were independently associated with mortality. TCZ in addition to SOC for severe COVID-19 patients did not reduce mortality, subsequent need for invasive mechanical ventilation nor did it shorten the time of oxygen support, despite better control of the inflammatory response. More powerful and randomized controlled trials are warranted to determine if TCZ is effective in the management of COVID-19.